I have owned several of these, the bodies rust and are very thin. The plastic interior is cheap and doesn't hold up well, but they have a killer drive train and look great. I drove an 81 SWB, 300 6, 4 speed granny low, for over 365,000 miles, the buyer got almost 50k more. I loved this truck.
My daily is an 86 xlt Bull Nose Bronco. 100% original with 130k miles. I’ve had it as my daily for 2.5 years now. Super reliable. Extremely comfortable. Even with a 4” lift. Downside would be the lack of power in comparison to modern vehicles. Its a rust free truck too! Born and raised here in Arizona.
From Wisconsin and I Daily mine during the summer. Paint is faded and chipping because it was an Arizoa truck and sat outside its whole life. Has no rust and ill take that paint problem over rust. also 100% origional and 90k miles. Has the 460 in it.
@@BruceDragon-sf1tr unfortunately mine has the 5.0 They arent bad motors. Bet they’re definitely much more suited for a lighter car than a truck. The Bronco should’ve had a straight 6 and the 351w as the only two offered. The 351w has much better torque potential.
To sum it up.... Yes you should buy a bull/box nose Ford. Also make sure to pick up a 300 six out of a old Ford dump truck as it comes with some beefed up internals . Get some good rods and Pistons, get a good cam and valve trane components. Make sure to have the machine shop freshen everything. Get a nice compound turbo setup and tune it for E85-100 . This should get you around 500-600 ftlbs of torque and it will come in low and stay till you pull your foot out of it. I love these trucks . The one major issue they have is moisture......do not get these wet, at all , ever. Take a graham cracker and drip some milk on one corner, wait 45 seconds and try to pick it up by that corner.....this is exactly what happens to these if you get them wet just once.
Last year I bought a 1986 f250 extra cab 8 ft bed red and tan, with red interior, velor captain's chairs, with a 6.9 l diesel banks turbo kit Ford installed back in 1987, and a C6 automatic, I don't regret it a bit these are fantastically built trucks, last of the best!
I found one F350 with a hand made wood bed just a bunch of 2x4s… They want 7500 for 150k miles it’s a 6.9 IDI Is that a good price? And how hard would it be to find the dually bed
I hope you have the regular 4 speed manual and not the manual OD. My F150 had a 3.08 axle and was very weak for towing. A higher axle ratio and different transmission would have made a huge difference.
Me and my Dad currently have 5 of these trucks down here in texas they are pretty rust free. One problem they have is that is the fuse box they tend to get the wrong fuses put in them and get melted cause someone is chasing a failing blower moter and you gotta change the entire harness to fix it properly.... As far as the interior plastics go.. LMC sells Most of the interior for these trucks door panels are reasonable...dash pads can get expensive though.
A bit late on it, but that folding hood is common on a lot of cars and trucks of that era. It's not just the aftermarket hoods. Original Chevy hoods from the period do the same thing. it's caused because the hood is designed to fold in half in a front collision, rather than be pushed back in to the driver as was common a couple years earlier. Best bet is to replace the hood hinges with ones without springs and use a prop rod.
I owned an 1983 Bronco bull mose with the 4.9 ci 6cyl. I fine ride for many years and great styling. I still own a 97 F350 srw 4x4 460. Also, a 2001 F350 DRW with the 7.3 and 6 speed 4x4. All great Ford rides. Onward!
Always loved my bullnose Fords. I grew up learning how to drive on a 1986 F250 with the 6.9L IDI diesel V8 and manual transmission. One of my more recent ones, which was very rusted out, was a 1985 F150 with the 300 inline. 300 inline 6, and manual for speed transmission with manual transfer case lever on the floor and manual locking front hubs. I didn't realize that one can actually transfer over super duty seats into these older trucks, but I did realize that you can switch out a lot body panels as well as interior components from the older brick nose trucks from the late '80s and early '90s. I would definitely go out and find another used early '80s diesel, Ford F250 or F350 with a diesel and manual transmission again. And knowing what you can do for swapping out components. On the inside, I know where I can get some cheap parts whether it's from the junkyard or buying a super high mileage, super duties off of craigslist or facebook marketplace.
I had a 1984 half ton, it was an incredible truck, I know how great they are. And to tell you the truth, coming from a chevy family, my 84 turned sharper than all tje family trucks did. Plus, not that it matters but it outran a 2002 chevy half-ton of my buddy's multiple times too
Every twin I beam for used was like this. The lill rangers will turn inside their own wheel base. I don't understand why these younger people don't snatch them up ( rangers ) and use them for drift missiles. You don't need an angle kit as they already have 298 degrees of rotation ( the knuckles ) . Plop a 2.3 Ecoboost in the front and a 6 spd in the middle and a 8.8 with trutrac and 4.10 s in the rear . If you find a standard box extend cab the added length helps make it more predictable in a high angle slide.
I miss my 84 F150. My dad bought it new a couple weeks before I was born. It was red/white. We repainted it victory red and arctic white, both chevy colors but it looked great. It was on KMC Condor 18s and 20s. Unfortunately it stalled on a mile long interstate bridge and got hit by a newer f250 going 60. That was in 05. My next one was an 81 F100 Ranger with 63,000 miles. I did NOS 1st gen lighting suspension, and gt40p heads on the 302. When I put that one up for sale, a guy drove 12 hours to get it.
Nice Truck! Just a all-out from Australia, I have owned my 1984 F350 4wd bullnose for 23 years, originally Australian assembled right hand drive and fitted with 4.9 liter, (302 cu) fuel injected Windsor, 4 speed New Process 435, 205 transfer, Dana 50 front and Dana 70 4:11 rear axles. Unhappy with the Windsor I rebuilt an Australian thickwall Cleveland 351 with modified 59cc quench chamber Ford Australian 302 Cleveland heads, ( Yes we made shorter stroke 302 Cleveland's here to eliminate need for separate Windsor blocks for smaller capacity V8) A mild Sig Erson cam and it sounds and runs s pretty well. Australian late model Cleveland's were built until 1982 and equipped with 4BBL Carter 780 Thermoquads on spreadbore manifolds. These run very well and I prefer them to a 600, 650, 750 Holley. As we don't use salt on roads due to our generally warmer climate rust is less of an issue down here and my truck is quite rust free. Also own a right hand drive Australian assembled 75 F250 hi boy also with a 351 Cleveland.
I had an 84 f250 with a built 351w. It was easily one of the most reliable vehicles ive ever had. They were just simple and well built, i wish i still had that truck
My grandpa has a 1985 Ford F250. Hasn't ran in 24 years. The story I get is he and my mom were picking up a pet snake we had and the truck just up and died in Bismarck, ND. no clicking or anything. It has 79,000 original miles on it and the inside is still insanely clean. Not much rust considering where it has sat (5 miles east of a small town called Glyndon). Granted, yes, it has rust around the rear fenders, but otherwise it's not as bad as it could be. I dunno what the problem could be but I want to get it running. it has the original Ford 4.9L (300) engine and 4-speed manual transmission
I've owned several of these and love them. Been trying to find another one for years now. For me, every one I find is either rusted junk, or restored and overpriced.
In the past I had a 84,86 Broncos and a 83 f150 and a 84 f250. I wish I still had the f250 regular cab long box but it needed some work to be road ready and I had to move and just didn't have time to fix it.
I owned an 84 f250, and a 86 f350 damn good trucks I've owned 70, 80, 90, and 2000 ford trucks I love them they are built tuff!, I now have a 67 f250 hi-boy!, i sure could use that truck!.
got a new 84 F-150 short bed 4x4 had it 21 years put 540,000 miles with no major problems, u-joints need replacing every year till i put new drive shaft in, disc brakes rotors replaced almost every 6 to 10 months till they finally came out with organic pads then they would last 4 to 5 years, new got 12 mpg after k&n air filter high performance cat and 3 inch exhaust went to 18 plus mpg
If your into Bull Nose fords I have a pretty rare factory built camper ! I’ve been bringing him back to life for the last 3 years on my TH-cam channel ! I do wish I had that IDI and zf5 set up in this f350 ! My 300 straight six is a tank but gutless on hills lol
Great rundown and bonus points for the Ed Bassmaster! Bartle do. Just picked up an 83 F-250 extended cab with the 6.9L and a stick shift in decent shape with just some exterior surface rust. Surprisingly, door panels, head liner and everything I'm replacing has been easy to find online and for decent prices. Some parts from the 7.3 can be used/retrofitted to the 6.9, like glowplugs and controller, and haven't had any problems finding any other parts I've needed...so far. Absolutely love it and enjoy driving it more than my 2022, creature comforts aside.
When I moved to Idaho in 2003 I bought my 84 F150 shortbed for 1000.- as a beater truck for dump runs etc. Over the years I put some money into it but it still has a lot of patina. I like it that way. I never thought of myself as a "Pickup truck guy" I always thought I was more refined than that LOL. But I have really grown attached to my truck in spite of the 8 MPG. I don't think I'll ever sell it
The 86’s had Fords routine mid year changes of their electrical system. I was told by a manufacturer’s rep that they were gearing up for the 87 ‘ model change.
my dads 1985 bullnose f250 with a 460 big block was a beastttt truck would pull big ol fucking trees off the side of the mountain in the road its was such a good firewood truck, shit ton of dents cause of it but its pretty much all original, but has been retired with someone stealing the starter off it, kinda wish my dad didn't trade his 69 Camaro for it but sure did have alot of memories in that truck
My 86 Supercab is really tidy , I need to do some work on my door locks , passenger side is getting tight , I want to add that nice medium blue to the hood and up the door , and along the lower sills , Mines just a 2x4 I have picture of it on one of my videos not an actual video , I've added a tremec 5 speed and it criuses really good at 1600rpm in 5th at 100kph , need to add my stroker 385ci and finish it .
Love the Bull nose trucks. Very good looking trucks and for personal reasons I would love to own one in honor of my brother in law. Hard to find one that isn't trashed or out of my range.
The bend in the hood from the hood hinges going past the travel tabs and then the tabs get pinched in the hinges happens in the OBS also. My 92 F350 bullnose just had that happen to it…but is it fixable to get that hump out.
@@ricochetey I Just read your comment and read mine. I don’t know why I said bullnose. It isn’t, it’s an aero nose. I just replaced my injectors on my 7.3 IDI. What a difference, night and day. I waited 6 long years to buy them. Got them from Justin at R&D. Highly recommend his business!!!
Currently restoring my 83' F-250 302 4spd 2wd. Got a new carb for it off Amazon (yes the cheapo one). Big tip to anyone out there thats a bit of a novice to carbs, like myself, take the choke off the old one and put it on the new one. Mine started right up and idled beautifully til the float ran out of fuel. Another thing to keep an eye on relating to rust is the fuel tank. Just dropped mine 2 days ago to check the lines and sending unit. Pulled the sending unit (or lack there of) and the float had rusted away. Also pressure washed the tank and discovered so many holes ON TOP of the tank and on the clamshell seams. Keep in mind a cheap chinese pressure washer should NOT be able to punch holes in a fuel tank so don't blame the holes on that. RockAuto has sending units for $50 and new 19 gal tanks for $75. Also it wouldnt hurt to weld a plate to the lowest point on the tank, when i dropped it I set it down on the driveway and that was enough to poke pinholes in that area of the tank My dad parked this truck 8 years ago and said "if you get it started, its yours." So far I've spent: $80 on carb $25 on fuel pump $20 on fuel lines $75 on fuel tank $50 on fuel sending unit $45 on water pump $13 on 180° Thermostat $24 on freeze/core plugs $26 on radiator hoses $145 on radiator About to go install the new tank and finish my cooling system job. One step closer to having a badass truck All my life I've worked on and owned primarily Jap or German vehicles so this has been such a good learning experience for me and always recommend to people to get an older truck if they need a truck, because they dont make em like they used to
easily my favorite build you've done but i'm biased bc bullnoses are my favorite. my granddad had a single cab long bed that was gray and red. and his brother that lived in the house i bought next to my granddad had a single cab short bed navy and gray. I bought a 1984 bullnose bronco 2 before my son was born with intentions of building it with him as he gets older to give to him when he's older. there's just something about bullnose fords that makes my face light up. my wife gets a kick out of the fact my jaw hits the floor every time we pass one whether its a rust bucket or dents all throughout. lol great informative video by the way. would love to see you build a bullnose bronco 2 one day. even though they arent highly sought after
@@hodsonmotors yessssss best looking ranger they made in my opinion. My stepdad had a baby blue one and I loved that truck when I was younger. He hated it bc he was always working on it though
@@hodsonmotors Is that the 2 door with a back seat. I have an '83 F250 351C/C6 2WD, 2 door with back seat I am restoring. I was told it is called a Super Cab here in Australia. Cheers Peter from Oz
I own an Australian assembled Bullnose right hand drive 1986 4WD F350 single cab, as well as an original 1975 F250 4WD Hi Boy delivered fully assembled Right hand drive from Canada. The body of the "dent- side Hi Boy" is stronger than the Bullnose and is IMO far more desirable. The F 350 bullnose originally had a fuel injected Windsor, however I have retrofitted an Australian Cleveland 351 with quench chamber 302 Cleveland heads and again IMO a better engine. My Cleveland does pull better than the original Windsor and Cleveland parts are easily sourced here in Australia. In our warmer climate here in Queensland the non water passage intake manifold of the Cleveland is an advantage to heat soaking and the quench shaped Australian 302 heads are superior to the std 2V open chamber 351 heads for pre-detonation with higher comps, although I utilised a dished piston to keep the comps under 11:1 as would have been the case with flattop pistons. A Sig Erson TQ-20 camshaft keeps torque reasonably low in the rev range and revs out nicely with the 4:11 LSD Dana 60 rear end and Dana 50 front axle. Cleveland's were OEM fitment here in Australia in 351 and 302 cu inch engines cast here in Australia until 1982 whereas the US Cleveland's ended around 1974. Still as is said here, the Dana Spicer driveline and Chassis are solid.
I’ve got an 84 bronco I bought in June. It’s got a decent amount of rust but ~80% of that is just surface rust. The hood is original but still has a bend on one side sadly. When I’m done with it it should be a beauty
Exactly what I'm lookin for for a first truck. Simple to work on, easy to replace parts, and just a good all around truck I can work with. Don't need a super fast truck YET hehheh
The only thing wrong with Bullnose fords is I don't have enough of them! I have a '85 f350 4x4, and I would like an early 80s f150 2 wheel drive, and maybe a dually like this one.
So much information you are giving us. I have 1984 F-150 that I restoring I hope really don't know what I'm doing but trying. Thank you and I will follow you.
I have a lariat 86 auto 6.9 in yellow but it was left sitting for 8 years so it’s a big project for sure. Mine is all original but it’s missing the center console and door panels 😭 but my favorite is on the tailgate it says diesel
Dad had a 84 with the 6.9 in it growing up. 4spd 2 wheel drive reg cab. He wishes he never sold it. My uncle bought it and hit a bunch of deer with it but he drove it for years too
I have a 1985 in really great condition i wanna make it a girls truck i was going to sell it but im not now after seeing your channel my truck has no rust all original everything bench seats to steering wheel..thank you for your video this made my choice really easy oh and my truck is single cab and has a 351 engine....its blue with all the clear coat coming off...she will be a beauty
Damn a ford truck is always a beautiful scene I had a 95 regular cab longbed 4X4 with the 300 6 auto and it was the toughest pickup damn it always got it done and it was a two tone with copper metallic over a light beige XLT package great seats it was the best vehicle I have ever owned the owner after me is still working it today
My guess is no, as he said the aftermarket hoods there’s nothing you can do. They’re weaker, if he fixes it, it’s just gonna do it again, so why bother
@@duaneandrew4451 well that might need to be relayed to him because in the video he said it was just the nature of the hood and wouldn’t be fixed without buying a factory hood
I have an '86 F250 4x4 7.5/C6 with 4.10 gears on 33s and the only downside is that the engine is screaming at 70mph...but an E4OD would easily solve that problem. 7.3 MPG at 70mph...but this truck is a stump puller that can take any thing I can throw at it, so the poor MPGs aren't even a concern. Can't expect 4 cylinder gas mileage from a big block.
I’m looking into buying an 81 f-250 automatic, 4 wheel drive with the 351 Cleveland motor and a rust free body. Need an opinion should go buy the truck or keep lookin
well my dads old 85 f350 did 112mph with a 28 foot rv behind it and i got my old 84 302 winsor about 120 before the copper got me he gave me a ticket for doing 85 in a 70 mph zone nice cop
I was honored to be able to drive operate i think was a Bull Nose and to see the hat holder...makes me believe was a Bull Nose Ford Was a shedded 350 Ford with the 7.3 4x4 International 4 Speed without the Turbo Was very fun truck to drive Was a custom made With heavy duty front Axle with very impressive leaf springs was a Work Horse 🐎 and or Strong Elephant 🐘 What i would have changed is having a long bed...sadly was a short bed
I disagree, but like I said in the video, only when it comes to the aesthetic restoration parts. There's almost no reproduction interior panels (besides door panels), dashes direct stopped producing dash pads, no gauge bezels or radio bezels, little to no aftermarket seat options, no aftermarket pillar trim, etc. Like I said in the video, there is sheet metal available but it's junk, and there is a great amount of mechanical parts available since parts are shared across 17 years. I will say, more and more stuff is being produced as these are becoming more collectible.
I had a 79 dodge powerwagon. 5 year frame off restoration was a real chore. There are literally no reproduction parts made for those old dodges, I spent countless hours on eBay and everywhere else tracking down expensive NOS parts. Beautiful trucks but you can’t just build one out of a magazine like a ford or Chevy.
I’m 16 need a reliable, truck I can afford and is wont have smog issues with in cali so I’m looking at the 7.3s and 6.9s sense they are supposed to be reliable and smog exempt (plus they look awesome) is this me being an ignorant 16 year old or should I seriously consider one of these
The problem is stock engines are either anaemic or have major durability problems. If its 4.9 in line six, it might break pistons. If 5.0 or 351M and SixNine, it will be slow. The 400s and 460s weren't a common fitment, but we're good engines. The US market 4180C 4bbl or HO 5.0 and 5.8s, even the 2bbls, were really a great base. Learn about the Brown Box or MCU or EECIV and emissions systems. Plenty of guys just rip shit off these trucks, and don't understand why Ford's 81-83 ignition systems are so complicated to tune when the supporting stuff is ripped off. It's all in the TSB and truck forums, lots of great help. Down here in NZ and Australia, we had years of 140 HP 4.1 sixes, 195 HP 4bbl 4.9 Cleveland's and 216 HP 351Cs or, after October 1985, US import 195 HP EFi 5.0 port EFis, and nothing ever went wrong unless you tried to do a water crossing in a 5.0 Fuelie. For 81 to 82, a 136 HP 1982 351M is common, but it's really s-l-o-w...
Since we converted this to 4x4, that gave it 4" of lift right there. Then we did the shackle reversal which gave it 2" more. Then a 3" block in the rear to finish it all off.
The bullnose is my first classic vehicle and my dream truck, i finally bought one about a month ago and im in love with it
Is it a dually?
I have owned several of these, the bodies rust and are very thin. The plastic interior is cheap and doesn't hold up well, but they have a killer drive train and look great. I drove an 81 SWB, 300 6, 4 speed granny low, for over 365,000 miles, the buyer got almost 50k more. I loved this truck.
Thin compared to what other generations?
@@IamDoge dentside
My daily is an 86 xlt Bull Nose Bronco. 100% original with 130k miles. I’ve had it as my daily for 2.5 years now.
Super reliable. Extremely comfortable. Even with a 4” lift. Downside would be the lack of power in comparison to modern vehicles.
Its a rust free truck too! Born and raised here in Arizona.
From Wisconsin and I Daily mine during the summer. Paint is faded and chipping because it was an Arizoa truck and sat outside its whole life. Has no rust and ill take that paint problem over rust. also 100% origional and 90k miles. Has the 460 in it.
What motor in your truck?
@@BruceDragon-sf1tr unfortunately mine has the 5.0
They arent bad motors. Bet they’re definitely much more suited for a lighter car than a truck. The Bronco should’ve had a straight 6 and the 351w as the only two offered. The 351w has much better torque potential.
@@BruceDragon-sf1tr i have the 5.0
I wish it was the 351w. Which is much better suited for a heavy truck than the 5.0
@@johnnymula2305 I have a old Ford with the 351 *5.8
In a town full of rusty trucks this is going to look GREAT in my driveway. I'll try really hard to keep it out of the salt, I promise!
It would be a damn shame if this truck goes anywhere up north. This truck belongs in Tennessee!!! My driveway to be specific lol
@@dustinreed4943 all that humidity? I don't think so!
😂
Don't try. Do.
To sum it up....
Yes you should buy a bull/box nose Ford. Also make sure to pick up a 300 six out of a old Ford dump truck as it comes with some beefed up internals . Get some good rods and Pistons, get a good cam and valve trane components. Make sure to have the machine shop freshen everything. Get a nice compound turbo setup and tune it for E85-100 . This should get you around 500-600 ftlbs of torque and it will come in low and stay till you pull your foot out of it.
I love these trucks . The one major issue they have is moisture......do not get these wet, at all , ever. Take a graham cracker and drip some milk on one corner, wait 45 seconds and try to pick it up by that corner.....this is exactly what happens to these if you get them wet just once.
Shit even a stock 300 is great
@@TheKoolAidMan0hy3ah absolutely
Last year I bought a 1986 f250 extra cab 8 ft bed red and tan, with red interior, velor captain's chairs, with a 6.9 l diesel banks turbo kit Ford installed back in 1987, and a C6 automatic, I don't regret it a bit these are fantastically built trucks, last of the best!
I found one F350 with a hand made wood bed just a bunch of 2x4s…
They want 7500 for 150k miles it’s a 6.9 IDI
Is that a good price? And how hard would it be to find the dually bed
I've got an 82 F-150 with the 6 n a row ready to tow 4.9 with a 4 speed, no bad rust just some surface rust. freakin love it
I have 1984 same as you and I have to agree I love it.
I hope you have the regular 4 speed manual and not the manual OD. My F150 had a 3.08 axle and was very weak for towing. A higher axle ratio and different transmission would have made a huge difference.
Me and my Dad currently have 5 of these trucks down here in texas they are pretty rust free. One problem they have is that is the fuse box they tend to get the wrong fuses put in them and get melted cause someone is chasing a failing blower moter and you gotta change the entire harness to fix it properly.... As far as the interior plastics go.. LMC sells Most of the interior for these trucks door panels are reasonable...dash pads can get expensive though.
A bit late on it, but that folding hood is common on a lot of cars and trucks of that era. It's not just the aftermarket hoods. Original Chevy hoods from the period do the same thing. it's caused because the hood is designed to fold in half in a front collision, rather than be pushed back in to the driver as was common a couple years earlier. Best bet is to replace the hood hinges with ones without springs and use a prop rod.
Genius idea
I owned an 1983 Bronco bull mose with the 4.9 ci 6cyl. I fine ride for many years and great styling. I still own a 97 F350 srw 4x4 460. Also, a 2001 F350 DRW with the 7.3 and 6 speed 4x4. All great Ford rides. Onward!
Always loved my bullnose Fords. I grew up learning how to drive on a 1986 F250 with the 6.9L IDI diesel V8 and manual transmission. One of my more recent ones, which was very rusted out, was a 1985 F150 with the 300 inline. 300 inline 6, and manual for speed transmission with manual transfer case lever on the floor and manual locking front hubs. I didn't realize that one can actually transfer over super duty seats into these older trucks, but I did realize that you can switch out a lot body panels as well as interior components from the older brick nose trucks from the late '80s and early '90s. I would definitely go out and find another used early '80s diesel, Ford F250 or F350 with a diesel and manual transmission again. And knowing what you can do for swapping out components. On the inside, I know where I can get some cheap parts whether it's from the junkyard or buying a super high mileage, super duties off of craigslist or facebook marketplace.
I had a 1984 half ton, it was an incredible truck, I know how great they are. And to tell you the truth, coming from a chevy family, my 84 turned sharper than all tje family trucks did. Plus, not that it matters but it outran a 2002 chevy half-ton of my buddy's multiple times too
Every twin I beam for used was like this. The lill rangers will turn inside their own wheel base. I don't understand why these younger people don't snatch them up ( rangers ) and use them for drift missiles. You don't need an angle kit as they already have 298 degrees of rotation ( the knuckles ) . Plop a 2.3 Ecoboost in the front and a 6 spd in the middle and a 8.8 with trutrac and 4.10 s in the rear . If you find a standard box extend cab the added length helps make it more predictable in a high angle slide.
02:16 I agree, last of the classic look. Love my 84 F250 single cab
What a sweetheart. I am working on pulling the 302 out of my 86 this winter. Love that 80’s style!!
I have an 85 150 with a 300 and a M5OD 5 speed I swapped in. Still my first and only vehicle I’ve owned and I love how raddly it is
what i did on one was weld in a 1/4 dowl rod to strength the hood just to get that little extra support it needs
I miss my 84 F150. My dad bought it new a couple weeks before I was born. It was red/white. We repainted it victory red and arctic white, both chevy colors but it looked great. It was on KMC Condor 18s and 20s. Unfortunately it stalled on a mile long interstate bridge and got hit by a newer f250 going 60. That was in 05. My next one was an 81 F100 Ranger with 63,000 miles. I did NOS 1st gen lighting suspension, and gt40p heads on the 302. When I put that one up for sale, a guy drove 12 hours to get it.
Nice Truck!
Just a all-out from Australia, I have owned my 1984 F350 4wd bullnose for 23 years, originally Australian assembled right hand drive and fitted with 4.9 liter, (302 cu) fuel injected Windsor, 4 speed New Process 435, 205 transfer, Dana 50 front and Dana 70 4:11 rear axles.
Unhappy with the Windsor I rebuilt an Australian thickwall Cleveland 351 with modified 59cc quench chamber Ford Australian 302 Cleveland heads,
( Yes we made shorter stroke 302 Cleveland's here to eliminate need for separate Windsor blocks for smaller capacity V8)
A mild Sig Erson cam and it sounds and runs s pretty well.
Australian late model Cleveland's were built until 1982 and equipped with 4BBL Carter 780 Thermoquads on spreadbore manifolds.
These run very well and I prefer them to a 600, 650, 750 Holley.
As we don't use salt on roads due to our generally warmer climate rust is less of an issue down here and my truck is quite rust free.
Also own a right hand drive Australian assembled 75 F250 hi boy also with a 351 Cleveland.
I had an 84 f250 with a built 351w. It was easily one of the most reliable vehicles ive ever had. They were just simple and well built, i wish i still had that truck
My grandpa has a 1985 Ford F250. Hasn't ran in 24 years. The story I get is he and my mom were picking up a pet snake we had and the truck just up and died in Bismarck, ND. no clicking or anything. It has 79,000 original miles on it and the inside is still insanely clean. Not much rust considering where it has sat (5 miles east of a small town called Glyndon). Granted, yes, it has rust around the rear fenders, but otherwise it's not as bad as it could be. I dunno what the problem could be but I want to get it running. it has the original Ford 4.9L (300) engine and 4-speed manual transmission
🤤 Now that's a pickup. My dad had one (bullnose) exact same color. Miss that monster.
I've owned several of these and love them. Been trying to find another one for years now. For me, every one I find is either rusted junk, or restored and overpriced.
In the past I had a 84,86 Broncos and a 83 f150 and a 84 f250. I wish I still had the f250 regular cab long box but it needed some work to be road ready and I had to move and just didn't have time to fix it.
I love my 86 bronco. Has a pop up camper on it, 300 six, 4 speed manual. Slow and steady, always ready.
I owned an 84 f250, and a 86 f350 damn good trucks I've owned 70, 80, 90, and 2000 ford trucks I love them they are built tuff!, I now have a 67 f250 hi-boy!, i sure could use that truck!.
got a new 84 F-150 short bed 4x4 had it 21 years put 540,000 miles with no major problems, u-joints need replacing every year till i put new drive shaft in, disc brakes rotors replaced almost every 6 to 10 months till they finally came out with organic pads then they would last 4 to 5 years, new got 12 mpg after k&n air filter high performance cat and 3 inch exhaust went to 18 plus mpg
My first vehicle was an 2wd 82 f150 302 v8 auto trans.
I've got 2wd 90 with 300 6 I'm gonna start fixing back up
If your into Bull Nose fords I have a pretty rare factory built camper ! I’ve been bringing him back to life for the last 3 years on my TH-cam channel ! I do wish I had that IDI and zf5 set up in this f350 ! My 300 straight six is a tank but gutless on hills lol
Great rundown and bonus points for the Ed Bassmaster! Bartle do. Just picked up an 83 F-250 extended cab with the 6.9L and a stick shift in decent shape with just some exterior surface rust. Surprisingly, door panels, head liner and everything I'm replacing has been easy to find online and for decent prices. Some parts from the 7.3 can be used/retrofitted to the 6.9, like glowplugs and controller, and haven't had any problems finding any other parts I've needed...so far. Absolutely love it and enjoy driving it more than my 2022, creature comforts aside.
When I moved to Idaho in 2003 I bought my 84 F150 shortbed for 1000.- as a beater truck for dump runs etc.
Over the years I put some money into it but it still has a lot of patina. I like it that way. I never thought of myself as a "Pickup truck guy" I always thought I was more refined than that LOL. But I have really grown attached to my truck in spite of the 8 MPG. I don't think I'll ever sell it
The 86’s had Fords routine mid year changes of their electrical system. I was told by a manufacturer’s rep that they were gearing up for the 87 ‘ model change.
Sweet build! Can't wait to get ours to look like this one!!
I’m a Chevy guy but this generation is dope
I was lucky to find a rust free 83' with great patina. 300 -6 .. in Canada! love it.
I think Im in love.. That truck is so bad to the bone! Stalky looking beast!
my dads 1985 bullnose f250 with a 460 big block was a beastttt truck would pull big ol fucking trees off the side of the mountain in the road its was such a good firewood truck, shit ton of dents cause of it but its pretty much all original, but has been retired with someone stealing the starter off it, kinda wish my dad didn't trade his 69 Camaro for it but sure did have alot of memories in that truck
My 86 Supercab is really tidy , I need to do some work on my door locks , passenger side is getting tight , I want to add that nice medium blue to the hood and up the door , and along the lower sills , Mines just a 2x4 I have picture of it on one of my videos not an actual video , I've added a tremec 5 speed and it criuses really good at 1600rpm in 5th at 100kph , need to add my stroker 385ci and finish it .
Love the Bull nose trucks. Very good looking trucks and for personal reasons I would love to own one in honor of my brother in law. Hard to find one that isn't trashed or out of my range.
My father owned one growing up......I.. love that 2 tone!!!!
The bend in the hood from the hood hinges going past the travel tabs and then the tabs get pinched in the hinges happens in the OBS also. My 92 F350 bullnose just had that happen to it…but is it fixable to get that hump out.
92 is aero nose 80-86 is bullnose 87-91 is bricknose
@@ricochetey I Just read your comment and read mine. I don’t know why I said bullnose. It isn’t, it’s an aero nose. I just replaced my injectors on my 7.3 IDI. What a difference, night and day. I waited 6 long years to buy them. Got them from Justin at R&D. Highly recommend his business!!!
Currently restoring my 83' F-250 302 4spd 2wd. Got a new carb for it off Amazon (yes the cheapo one). Big tip to anyone out there thats a bit of a novice to carbs, like myself, take the choke off the old one and put it on the new one. Mine started right up and idled beautifully til the float ran out of fuel.
Another thing to keep an eye on relating to rust is the fuel tank. Just dropped mine 2 days ago to check the lines and sending unit. Pulled the sending unit (or lack there of) and the float had rusted away. Also pressure washed the tank and discovered so many holes ON TOP of the tank and on the clamshell seams. Keep in mind a cheap chinese pressure washer should NOT be able to punch holes in a fuel tank so don't blame the holes on that. RockAuto has sending units for $50 and new 19 gal tanks for $75. Also it wouldnt hurt to weld a plate to the lowest point on the tank, when i dropped it I set it down on the driveway and that was enough to poke pinholes in that area of the tank
My dad parked this truck 8 years ago and said "if you get it started, its yours." So far I've spent:
$80 on carb
$25 on fuel pump
$20 on fuel lines
$75 on fuel tank
$50 on fuel sending unit
$45 on water pump
$13 on 180° Thermostat
$24 on freeze/core plugs
$26 on radiator hoses
$145 on radiator
About to go install the new tank and finish my cooling system job. One step closer to having a badass truck
All my life I've worked on and owned primarily Jap or German vehicles so this has been such a good learning experience for me and always recommend to people to get an older truck if they need a truck, because they dont make em like they used to
easily my favorite build you've done but i'm biased bc bullnoses are my favorite. my granddad had a single cab long bed that was gray and red. and his brother that lived in the house i bought next to my granddad had a single cab short bed navy and gray. I bought a 1984 bullnose bronco 2 before my son was born with intentions of building it with him as he gets older to give to him when he's older. there's just something about bullnose fords that makes my face light up. my wife gets a kick out of the fact my jaw hits the floor every time we pass one whether its a rust bucket or dents all throughout. lol great informative video by the way. would love to see you build a bullnose bronco 2 one day. even though they arent highly sought after
How about a bullnose ranger?! I love them.
@@hodsonmotors yessssss best looking ranger they made in my opinion. My stepdad had a baby blue one and I loved that truck when I was younger. He hated it bc he was always working on it though
@@hodsonmotors Is that the 2 door with a back seat. I have an '83 F250 351C/C6 2WD, 2 door with back seat I am restoring. I was told it is called a Super Cab here in Australia. Cheers Peter from Oz
I own an Australian assembled Bullnose right hand drive 1986 4WD F350 single cab, as well as an original 1975 F250 4WD Hi Boy delivered fully assembled Right hand drive from Canada.
The body of the "dent- side Hi Boy" is stronger than the Bullnose and is IMO far more desirable.
The F 350 bullnose originally had a fuel injected Windsor, however I have retrofitted an Australian Cleveland 351 with quench chamber 302 Cleveland heads and again IMO a better engine.
My Cleveland does pull better than the original Windsor and Cleveland parts are easily sourced here in Australia.
In our warmer climate here in Queensland the non water passage intake manifold of the Cleveland is an advantage to heat soaking and the quench shaped Australian 302 heads are superior to the std 2V open chamber 351 heads for pre-detonation with higher comps, although I utilised a dished piston to keep the comps under 11:1 as would have been the case with flattop pistons.
A Sig Erson TQ-20 camshaft keeps torque reasonably low in the rev range and revs out nicely with the 4:11 LSD Dana 60 rear end and Dana 50 front axle.
Cleveland's were OEM fitment here in Australia in 351 and 302 cu inch engines cast here in Australia until 1982 whereas the US Cleveland's ended around 1974.
Still as is said here, the Dana Spicer driveline and Chassis are solid.
Short answer...yes...I have had several of them over many years and they're a great truck!
One of , if not the coolest old trucks out there.
I’ve got an 84 bronco I bought in June. It’s got a decent amount of rust but ~80% of that is just surface rust. The hood is original but still has a bend on one side sadly. When I’m done with it it should be a beauty
Exactly what I'm lookin for for a first truck. Simple to work on, easy to replace parts, and just a good all around truck I can work with. Don't need a super fast truck YET hehheh
talking about interchangeable parts, my 86 f 150 has electric window motors out of a 2007, bolted right up, they are lighter and have more torque
I just bought an 86 f350 gasoline 7.5L 460ci v8 under 90,000 miles garage kept most of its life. all said and done about 10k to bring it home
I have an 83 6.9 diesel and I love it and an 82 6-cyl short box that for me was the best
The only thing wrong with Bullnose fords is I don't have enough of them! I have a '85 f350 4x4, and I would like an early 80s f150 2 wheel drive, and maybe a dually like this one.
Super Duty seats swapped was mentioned around the 4:50 mark. What years bolted right in?
I've always liked that design of the Ford bodies. I especially like that red/white color scheme. I don't see it very often.
I recently got my papaw's 1985 inline 6 manual. It stalls here and there but overall a great farm truck.
I’ve got a 1981 f250 with a 351m and the 4 speed for my first truck at 17
For that hood do you think you could have someone weld in some more support ?
So much information you are giving us. I have 1984 F-150 that I restoring I hope really don't know what I'm doing but trying. Thank you and I will follow you.
I have a lariat 86 auto 6.9 in yellow but it was left sitting for 8 years so it’s a big project for sure. Mine is all original but it’s missing the center console and door panels 😭 but my favorite is on the tailgate it says diesel
Dad had a 84 with the 6.9 in it growing up. 4spd 2 wheel drive reg cab. He wishes he never sold it. My uncle bought it and hit a bunch of deer with it but he drove it for years too
That might be the most beautiful truck ive ever seen
I have a 1985 in really great condition i wanna make it a girls truck i was going to sell it but im not now after seeing your channel my truck has no rust all original everything bench seats to steering wheel..thank you for your video this made my choice really easy oh and my truck is single cab and has a 351 engine....its blue with all the clear coat coming off...she will be a beauty
Damn a ford truck is always a beautiful scene I had a 95 regular cab longbed 4X4 with the 300 6 auto and it was the toughest pickup damn it always got it done and it was a two tone with copper metallic over a light beige XLT package great seats it was the best vehicle I have ever owned the owner after me is still working it today
I was going to get an after market tailgate but after this I found a junkyard tailgate thanks for the heads up
That's a beast of a truck! Love the looks! 👍👍
Just bought an '86 with the 6.9 and its a fun, albiet slow truck.
Are you going to fix the hood?
My guess is no, as he said the aftermarket hoods there’s nothing you can do. They’re weaker, if he fixes it, it’s just gonna do it again, so why bother
@@KDlGG the aftermarket hood could have been fixed by adding bracing. I've done it bull nose ford's and square body chevs.
@@duaneandrew4451 well that might need to be relayed to him because in the video he said it was just the nature of the hood and wouldn’t be fixed without buying a factory hood
@@KDlGGdid you know a good place to buy parts online for a 1986 f150
@@luissilva-wq8lu body panels etc I’d go with LMC truck
I have an '86 F250 4x4 7.5/C6 with 4.10 gears on 33s and the only downside is that the engine is screaming at 70mph...but an E4OD would easily solve that problem. 7.3 MPG at 70mph...but this truck is a stump puller that can take any thing I can throw at it, so the poor MPGs aren't even a concern. Can't expect 4 cylinder gas mileage from a big block.
The rusty panels are cheap to fix and very easy to get you can build one ground up from an LMC truck catalog and it’s fairly cheap.
I’m looking into buying an 81 f-250 automatic, 4 wheel drive with the 351 Cleveland motor and a rust free body. Need an opinion should go buy the truck or keep lookin
well my dads old 85 f350 did 112mph with a 28 foot rv behind it and i got my old 84 302 winsor about 120 before the copper got me he gave me a ticket for doing 85 in a 70 mph zone nice cop
The end was really the early 90’s Cummins d250’s in my opinion
What a great looking truck, good luck
My 86 F250 was the best truck. I regret not keeping it !!
I was honored to be able to drive operate i think was a Bull Nose and to see the hat holder...makes me believe was a Bull Nose Ford
Was a shedded 350 Ford with the 7.3 4x4 International 4 Speed without the Turbo
Was very fun truck to drive
Was a custom made With heavy duty front Axle with very impressive leaf springs was a Work Horse 🐎 and or Strong Elephant 🐘
What i would have changed is having a long bed...sadly was a short bed
Is there anything you can treat or spray on the body to prevent rust from eating up the metal?
I have the 1983 f100 short bed single cab is currently being built
What year of super duty did those seats come out of?
That hat holder tho where do I get one?
If it hasn't been up north for decades then rust won't be an issue. Mine's been in Georgia since New and has no rust!
Nice truck do you have a link or something where I can find after market parts for a good price
Not a lot of aftermarket support? You could build the entire truck from a bare frame just from catalogs
I disagree, but like I said in the video, only when it comes to the aesthetic restoration parts. There's almost no reproduction interior panels (besides door panels), dashes direct stopped producing dash pads, no gauge bezels or radio bezels, little to no aftermarket seat options, no aftermarket pillar trim, etc. Like I said in the video, there is sheet metal available but it's junk, and there is a great amount of mechanical parts available since parts are shared across 17 years. I will say, more and more stuff is being produced as these are becoming more collectible.
I had a 79 dodge powerwagon. 5 year frame off restoration was a real chore. There are literally no reproduction parts made for those old dodges, I spent countless hours on eBay and everywhere else tracking down expensive NOS parts. Beautiful trucks but you can’t just build one out of a magazine like a ford or Chevy.
What size spacers did you use for the rear wheels?
Needs the dually wheels on the front.
When are you going to LS swap that thang?
Fingers crossed on this one! 🤞
I’m 16 need a reliable, truck I can afford and is wont have smog issues with in cali so I’m looking at the 7.3s and 6.9s sense they are supposed to be reliable and smog exempt (plus they look awesome) is this me being an ignorant 16 year old or should I seriously consider one of these
Stop telling everyone you’re giving it away 😵💫😝😜🤫🤫🤐 thanks 👍🏼🤙🏼❤️🇺🇸🤠
Where did you get the pillar gauge
We used a 92-97 pillar pod. It doesn't fit perfect but it gets the job done.
What Year model did that come out of??
I have a 86 F150 XLT Lariat, where do you get your ford parts???
eBay and LMC
The problem is stock engines are either anaemic or have major durability problems. If its 4.9 in line six, it might break pistons. If 5.0 or 351M and SixNine, it will be slow. The 400s and 460s weren't a common fitment, but we're good engines. The US market 4180C 4bbl or HO 5.0 and 5.8s, even the 2bbls, were really a great base. Learn about the Brown Box or MCU or EECIV and emissions systems. Plenty of guys just rip shit off these trucks, and don't understand why Ford's 81-83 ignition systems are so complicated to tune when the supporting stuff is ripped off. It's all in the TSB and truck forums, lots of great help. Down here in NZ and Australia, we had years of 140 HP 4.1 sixes, 195 HP 4bbl 4.9 Cleveland's and 216 HP 351Cs or, after October 1985, US import 195 HP EFi 5.0 port EFis, and nothing ever went wrong unless you tried to do a water crossing in a 5.0 Fuelie. For 81 to 82, a 136 HP 1982 351M is common, but it's really s-l-o-w...
I just recently got my first pickup and im already wanting an old pickup. Its an addiction, once you buy one you are hooked.
I would write the check right now
I didnt watch the video. Just stopped by to say “Yes! You should!”
Dude that truck is clean 😮
Beautiful truck
What lift does it have?
Since we converted this to 4x4, that gave it 4" of lift right there. Then we did the shackle reversal which gave it 2" more. Then a 3" block in the rear to finish it all off.
Does anyone know a good place to get all the weather seals and door trim for an ‘85?
LMC TRUCK
@@hodsonmotors thank you.
Hoping I win this beautiful truck.